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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA Medial ī is plainly visible in the word śrī in No. VIII. It is open to the left. The same mātrā is also seen on the letter h in No. XI where, correctly speaking, it should be ē and not ī. The form of medial ī, open to the right, is to be seen in the word śrī in No. XIII. The form of medial u differs, as is well-known, in combination with different consonants. The examples of this sign found in these inscriptions are as follows : a straight downward stroke in ṭu (No. VI), a curved downward stroke in gu (Nos. IX, XI and XII) and ru (Nos. XIII and XVI), and a curved upward stroke in tu (No. XVIII). In the case of the medial u in gu of No. IX, it looks almost like the medial u in modern Nāgarī, but in reality the curved stroke which appears to be a continuation of the u mātrā is not joined with the u stroke. The form of the medial ṛi is to be seen in Nos. II, and XVI. In No. II, it ends in a loop ; it is partly mixed up with an ornamental letter below. In No. XVI, it looks as it is in the modern Nāgarī script ; but here some flaw in the stone is responsible for its modern look. In fact, it is more or less of the same type as is found in No. II, its curl descending from the right side of v and ending in a loop. TEXTS
These short inscriptions contain only proper names and were possibly engraved on the rock by pilgrims who visited the holy place in olden days. Most of the names are typical of the Gupta period. Hence their importance. The first in our list, Mānaparvata, obviously refers to the Māna mountain or Māna pass which, as may be seen on the accompanying map, lies higher up in the Himalayan range, beyond Badrīnāth. The occurrence of the name on the rock in question, however, tends to indicate that the range of hills behind the confluence of the Alakānandā and Bhāgīrathī at Dēvaprayāg was also known as Māna. The personal name Mātṛichēṭa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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